Dawn 10

Emenike prepared his mind for the worst. What could even be worse than losing his limbs minus one, his mother and the prospective loss of his beautiful sister? If the Sherpherdhood felt his sister was next, so be it. He was powerless, now.

He took to throwing his all into his business, he wanted his affairs set in order, just in case he was next. He wasn’t surprised when he got a call from his aunt in Owerri the following week; Chioma was in a critical condition in the hospital on account of a ghastly motor accident. Emenike mourned his sister, he knew it was the end. He however sent funds for her treatment and was making arrangements to go visit her in Owerri when he was called again that she had passed. Emenike cried like a baby. He was inconsolable. For days he refused to bath or eat. 

Eventually, he had to see to her burial as the first son. He travelled down in the company of his driver, nurse and family for the burial. It was a sad affair, her fiance had cried himself hoarse, the young man looked like he was running mad, already. Emenike had to turn counsellor. 'She’s in a better place', he kept telling Kosiso, her fiance.

They were back home a few days later. Nash took to encouraging her husband every night. She would sit beside him, holding his hands in hers whilst talking to him. Emenike would look at her with a haunted look in his eyes. He lived in fear now and had tried to broach relocating the family abroad, but Nash wanted none of it. She was insistent they stay together. He didn't bother trying to change her mind as he knew distance was no barrier for the Sherpherdhood.

Barely a month after the burial, Emenike started seeing Chioma in his dreams running after him. In his dreams he was able bodied and he would run like mad, just as she was about to catch up with him, he would wake up, drenched in cold sweat.

Emenike started hallucinating as well, he would see his mother talking to him, he would see strangers in his room. When Nash could no longer bear it, she took him to the hospital to see a psychiatrist. He was admitted in the hospital and discharged after three weeks when he had gotten better.

Chuks came visiting again. Nash was beginning to be uncomfortable with him. She couldn’t lay a finger on it, but she knew he wasn’t who she had thought he was. Reluctantly, she ushered him into her husband's room. Emenike had just woken up from a drug induced nap and so was a trifle disoriented. His nurse helped him sit up on the bed with the aid of pillows and excused himself.

Chuks looked him over for minutes silently, Emenike was now gaunt. His skin clung to his bones, absent any form of cushioning. His eyes were like holes in his skull. Emenike's haunted eyes stared right back at him. Chuks sat in the chair adjacent the bed. Emenike was determined not to be the one to start the conversation. 

After an uncomfortable drawn out silence, Chuks cleared his throat, repeatedly. Emenike smiled to himself

‘It’s obvious I’m not welcome here'

Enenike gave him a wan smile

‘If our roles were reversed, would I have been welcome in your house? Chuks, you’ve  brought me nothing but heartache and pain. Say what you will and get the fuck out of my house!’

‘Well! If that’s the way you want it, I’ll be straight with you. The brotherhood requires another sacrifice'

Emenike looked at Chuks unblinkingly

‘Your daughter, Nneka is next'

‘You must be out of your mind!’

‘Is it not better to pay all you owe the brotherhood at once?!’

‘You’re most def mad!’

‘Curse me all you want Emenike. But, the decision still stands'

‘It is your own daughter that’ll be used as a sacrifice, you thoughtlessly evil man! Ekwensu!’

‘ I haven’t come to bandy words with you. With or without your cooperation she goes! I wonder why you’re so concerned about such a sickly child that is costing you so much to keep alive. ..’

‘Bastard!’ spat Emenike who was wailing now, his nurse who was in the adjacent room burst in alarmed. Chuks was ordered out of the room by Nash who had rushed in on account of the nurse's raised voice arguing with him on the need for him to leave.

Emenike was put to sleep by the nurse with the aid of an intravenous injection.

Emenike was woken up by someone sprinkling water on his face, like in a trance he saw Nash's heavily pregnant form leaning over him. He sat up abruptly and found he was in their wretched one room apartment. This cannot be!

‘Wake up joor….I’ve been trying to wake you up for ages! Chuks's driver is outside waiting for you. You've forgotten today is the day he wants to introduce you to his business partners!’

Emenike peered at her, pinched himself to be sure he wasn’t dreaming

‘Nash…..am I dreaming or what?! We’re supposed to be living in a mansion, we have grown kids.  .’

Nash looked him over carefully 'Emenike abeg, stop joking! Which mansion?! With which money?! Abegiiii'

Emenike on trembling legs, stood up wonderingly, stretched out his arms as he surveyed the room; the mattress lying on the linoleum carpeted floor, the lone black and white tv he had bought off a neighbour, the ricketty jicketty chair in the room, the buckets packed at one corner with the plates and kerosene stove and he knew he had been dreaming all this while, but, what an incredibly intense dream!

Emenike looked at Nash's heavily pregnant form and suddenly grinned with relief, a sense of deep contentment settling over him.

‘What about Mama and Chioma?’

‘Emenike, have you forgotten we spoke with both of them on phone last night? They’re both doing fine. Please go and meet the driver outside, you must not miss the appointment with Chuks ooo. It’s a destiny changing appointment' she finished with a smile

‘Tufiakwa!’ Spat Emenike as he stormed out of the room. Nash looked at his retreating form in surprise.

Upon meeting Chuks’s driver, who had parked the car a little away from the house on account of the bad terrain, he dismissed him and told him to inform Chuks he wasn’t interested in meeting either him or his business partners. The driver looked aghast as Emenike turned away abruptly making his way back to the apartment. Just before entering the room, he switched on his phone and blocked Chuks's number with a flourish before turning the door knob

Nash who was preparing to take the kerosene stove out was surprised to see her husband back in the room.

‘What happened? Why haven’t you gone?..or has the driver driven off?'

Emenike took the stove from her and placed it aside. He held her in his arms as he said

‘Better is a dry morsel with contentment than a fattened calf with pain, heartbreak,death and everlasting regret'

The End